Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Development

In the aftermath of the January 12 earthquake, Haiti has experienced great financial loss, loss of livelihood and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.   Investments and commercial dealings that respond to the needs of the people and of the economy can help to “build back better”.

The Société Immobilière de Agriculture, Commerce et Tourisme, Inc., (SImACT) and the Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF), in collaboration with Haitian government and other local and international partners, will conduct a workshop for potential foreign and local investors and businesses to facilitate their efforts in the region.  The workshop will bring together the private sector, government, donors, non-profit organizations and others to work together toward the common goal of revitalizing the Southern area of the country.  The workshop will emphasize the United Nations Millennium Development Goals as a framework for sustainable development.

Workshop dates are  27–29 June 2010.  A maximum of 70 participants, both Haitian and from other countries, will be invited to attend.  If you or your organization would be interested in attending or in co-sponsoring, contact Dr. David Stillman at ppafoundation@gmail.com

Languages of the conference will include French, English and Spanish. High-level officials of the Government of Haiti will be specially invited. 

Workshop topics being developed  include: 

• Overview of the Haiti Action Plan for National Recovery and Development
• Regional Priorities for Recovery and Development in Southern Haiti
• Role of the Private Investor and of Public-Private Partnerships
• Perspectives of NGOs and Local Government; Involvement of Local People in Decisions
• Credit and Funds Transfer, Legal Issues, Other
• Subgroups will depend on interest and may include:
  • Infrastructure – Seaport, airport, roads
  • Renewable energy –  Ethanol, biodiesel, solar power
  • Housing – Low-cost, moderate cost and safe repair
  • Agriculture and agribusiness – Fish farming, sugar and other
  • Social venture capital and microfinance
  • Ethanol cookstoves
  • Health – Clinics, training and post-traumatic stress
  • Historic District – UNESCO World Historic Site; repairs to standards
  • Tourism – Marketing of Jacmel, eco-tourism, voluntourism
  • Arts and artisans

The work of PPAF in renewable energy, in the Dominican Republic and elsewhere,  has become even more critical because of the earthquake in Haiti.  The Dominican involvement in relief and reconstruction and the Haitian and international concern to “build back better” have put renewable energy into the forefront.  PPAF has established an Advisory Group on Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development to guide its strategy and program, with a major focus on the island of Hispaniola.     

Members of the Advisory Group have a breadth of knowledge and experience, in government, business, academia, finance and non-profit management.  The broad work of PPAF aims toward achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, especially those aimed toward poverty reduction, environmental sustainability and building global partnerships.

Members of the Group may work together on areas of common interest, and also provide guidance individually. 

The first two topics the Group will address are:

(1)  Renewable Energy in the Dominican Response to the Haiti Earthquake Crisis;  

(2)  Renewable Energy in Haitian Post-Earthquake Reconstruction and Development

Members of the group are: 

Philippe Barjon, MS EE, Product Manager Energy Solutions at OpenLink Financial; Energy Director of BioTek Solutions, Inc.

Antonio Bento, PhD, Associate Professor, Applied Economics & Management, Cornell University

Marty Borruso, BS Forensic Chemistry; Chief Executive Officer, Fuel Bio Holdings, LLC

Gerónimo A. Chotin, BS Finance, Manager of Operations and Finance, Dominican Renewables, Inc.

Johanna Mendelson Forman, JD, PhD, Senior Associate, Center for Strategic & International Studies and Executive Director, Jatropha Foundation

Virgilio Malagon, PhD, Adviser to the President, National Energy Commission of the Dominican.Republic

Pablo Reyes, MA, International Policy; Director, Centro de Estudios Estratégicos Latinoamericanos

Robin van Puyenbroeck,  Master of Law/ Lic. Jur.; LLM International Law; Treasurer, UN Association of New York; Member, Carnegie New Leaders Program; international banker

Jean-Marie Wolff, MBA, MA Real Estate; President, SImACT Mining Holding, Inc.; CFO, SImACT, Inc. (Société Immobilière d’Agriculture, de Commerce, et de Tourisme)

Ex-Officio members of the Advisory Group are:

V. Judith Bowman, MBA, PPAF Senior Fellow.  Consultant in finance

Nazia Habib-Mintz, PPAF Fellow, Renewable Energy Program.  Doctoral candidate, Cambridge University. Consultant in renewable energy

Herb Oringel, MBA, PPAF Board Member.  Chair, Energy Advisory Panel, Town of Somers, NY

Amar Shibli, MBA (2011) - Dartmouth, PPAF Associate.

The UN Economic and Social Council reviewed the report of the UN Public-Private Alliance (UNPPA) for Rural Development at its July 2009 session in Geneva.  This report of the UN Secretary-General was part of the Council’s review of economic and environmental questions for sustainable development.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF), a non-profit organization, was created under the aegis of the UNPPA to work in practical ways for business, poverty reduction and the environment. Work of PPAF is highlighted in the report.

Nikhil Seth, Director of the Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination introduced the report on UNPPA. E/2009/72    It is also available in Spanish and French.  He said that the promotion of rural development was essential to reducing poverty and for promoting better standards of living for much of the world’s population and for meeting the Millennium Development Goals.  The report provides updates to the 2003 declaration of promoting partnerships amongst stakeholders in support of rural development. It highlights the importance of rural development and the impact of the recent global financial and economic crisis on this. According to the report, the crisis can be expected to further impoverish people in many developing countries, and further compound their difficulties arising from food and energy crises and the climate change.

In the discussion among government representatives to ECOSOC, speakers said that partnerships among stakeholders were vital for rural development and in protecting local resources.  In particular the United States delegate encouraged the UN to foster partnerships focusing on sharing knowledge and expertise for development of rural communities and to promote partnerships for sustainable development.

The Report makes special note of the contributions of the Public-Private Alliance Foundation (PPAF) to the efforts of UNPPA by bringing together corporate sector, government, civil society, academia, and the United Nations, to facilitate linkages, promote partnerships, encourage capacity-building and mobilize resources, commerce and investment in support of development.  The report also highlights the PPAF role in two UNPPA countries – Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.

In May 2007, PPAF held its first Partners Against Poverty event at the United Nations, to connect policy-makers with local development initiatives. This led to organizing a conference on fish farming in the Dominican Republic, with collaboration from the Dominican Aquaculture Association (ADOA), the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo, the UN South-South Unit, the FAO and others.  ADOA has since taken several further actions.  PPAF enabled Esperanza International, a microfinance organization in the D.R., to obtain a grant from Western Union Foundation.  PPAF provided funds to the Office of the First Lady of the D.R. for community efforts to rebuild housing after tropical storms.  PPAF also promoted the charitable work of the famous Madagascar singing group Mahaleo and the opening of a permanent exhibit on Madagascar at the Bronx Zoo.

At its second annual Partners Against Poverty event at the United Nations in July 2008, public, private and other representatives gathered to focus on promotion of health, agribusiness, renewable energy, sustainable tourism, microfinance and entrepreneurship in Madagascar and the Dominican Republic.  This led to PPAF collaboration with Project C.U.R.E. to deliver over $1.2 million in medical equipment and supplies to Madagascar. The Permanent Mission of Madagascar to the UN and Project C.U.R.E worked to raise $100,000 from private donors for shipment of the goods.

Building upon the 2008 meeting PPAF has worked with a Dominican growers’ nonprofit organization, GLOCAL, and with a Canadian buyer and investor, Oneel Corporation, to promote production and export of vegetables and fruits and related farmers’ capacity-building.  PPAF has also collaborated with New York representatives from the National Supermarkets Association, the distribution company Super-Produce, and the Centre for Export and Investment of the D.R., to promote Dominican exports to New York’s Hunts Point Market.

PPAF and business collaborators also explored issues of sugar-based ethanol and related bio-energy, leading to a partnership with ResearchPAYS, Inc. to develop further initiatives for stakeholder collaboration.

PPAF’s third annual Partners Against Poverty event (May 2009) brought together high-level Dominican, Brazilian, Haitian, U.S. and UN public and private participants to focus on ethanol, leading to further work in New York and the Dominican Republic on investment and commercial prospects of bioenergy.

PPAF continues to work with the United Nations and other stakeholders to promote development and alleviate poverty in developing countries. PPAF looks forward to building upon its collaborations in the Dominican Republic and Madagascar and expanding these to Haiti.

Bill Miller, host and producer of Global Connections Television, interviewed Francis Lorenzo, Ambassador, Mission of the Dominican Republic to the United Nations and Vice-Chair of the Board for the Public-Private Alliance Foundation. They discussed the Millennium Development Goals in the D.R and how public-private alliances can contribute to alleviating poverty.

Bill Miller, host and producer of Global Connections Television, interviewed Aristides Fernández-Zucco, Minister of State and President, Dominican Republic National Energy Commission. They discussed the bio-energy strategy of the D.R. and Law 57-07, and development of bio-fuel production on the Haiti-Dominican border.